Moisture Management

Moisture Management is very important for the integrity of the putting surfaces, especially during the winter season. This time of year, we experience very cold temperatures and very low humidity levels. The grass plant can easily dry out (desiccate) and potentially cause turf loss. We manage moisture levels using a surfactant (Fleet). Fleet is a penetrant that allows the management of moisture through the plant and soil. During the winter we also experience frequent precipitation and then very cold temperatures. The penetrant will allow enough moisture for the surface and at the same time open the pore space (reduce soil lock-up) for the infiltration of precipitation and irrigation. This is very important when we experience the hard freezes after rains during the winter. Fleet chemically strips the organic compounds in the soil and plant to allow soil moisture into the root system. Fleet is another great tool in managing frost. As stated before, the chemical pulls the moisture through the soil and into the plant. When we experience frost, the moisture is pulled down into the soil.Of course Fleet can't guarantee no frost delays, but is a great tool in reducing the amount of potential frost. We sprayed the putting surfaces today and irrigated for a few minutes. The application of the irrigation ensures the chemical is in the soil profile.